Another Halloween Night
by Aussie Nightwriter
Summary: The JLA face an impossible task and so they turn to the one person who may be able to help. Act 3 uploaded.
1. Chapter 1

ANOTHER HALLOWEEN NIGHT  
by AUSSIE NIGHTWRITER

**_DISCLAIMER_: I do not own any of the characters. Nightwing and all of his friends belongs to DC comics. I'd be a happy woman if Dick belonged to me...but no such luck. I have not made any profit out of writing this, so please don't sue me. It would not be worth your while. **

**_Author Comment_:  
# HUGE THANK YOU TO EM. Em has walked every step of this story with. Thank you for your time and for the the fun.  
# I have no medical knowledge so there a bound to be inaccuracies in this story. I invite you to enjoy it for what it is... and rumble about a couple of drop dead gorgeous guys. (G)  
# I don't know a great deal about the JLA and while they don't play a major role, they do feature. Forgive me if I have got anything wrong.**

**_Special Thanks_: Thank you to all those people who have left such wonderful feedback on my previous stories. **

* * *

**Another Halloween Night**

**ACT ONE**

"You retrieved this message four hours ago? Why weren't we told immediately?" Green Arrow demanded, waving the piece of paper under Superman's nose. The Man of Steel stood at the head of the table. He'd convened an emergency meeting of a select few of his team mates –- two to be exact.

"Batman was keeping it from us?" Wonder Woman asked, folding her arms across her chest.

"By the look of it," Superman muttered. He didn't like this. "I have also found evidence of…" He paused and shook his head. "Of Mantla."

"What!" Wonder Woman's face drained of colour. "Hera help us."

Ollie's arm's fell to his sides. "Mantla. It can't be. We… " His eyes grew wider and he dropped his attention to the note. "Hang on! You think this message is more than just…" Green Arrow's mind jagged on the dreadful thought. He lifted his strangled gaze and let it fall on Superman. "We have a Mantla spy on Earth trying to communicate with its homeland. Batman!"

"Maybe." Clark truly wasn't sure. Batman had a tendency to do things his own way. That didn't always mean taking his colleagues into his confidence.

"So, how do we tell if Batman's been 'infiltrated' or if he's just playing God again?"

"Ollie," Diana growled. Now wasn't a time to debate Batman's 'style'. As a matter of fact, if the Mantla were back, they didn't have time for anything at all. "What are we going do?" she appealed to Superman, her voice betraying the grave fears she felt.

Superman frowned, scanning the information he had requested from Star Labs.

Diana stepped up beside him and read the report. "If _he's_ been infiltrated, it will be impossible to tell," she whispered.

"For us, yes," Superman agreed. "However, I know someone who may be able to help us."

VV

Continued in Act 2

Please leave your email address if you leave a review so I can take the opportunity to thank you.

* * *

I would really love to know what you thought.

**© Feb 2006 Aussie Nightwriter. : This relates only to the creative property in this story. The distinctive way the story unfolds, the specific dialogue and unique situations are mine. I acknowledge that some of the characters and settings belong to DC comics. (g) No infrigement of copyright was intended and no profit has been made from this story... so, please don't sue me. It wouldn't be worth your while.**


	2. Chapter 2

ANOTHER HALLOWEEN NIGHT  
by AUSSIE NIGHTWRITER

**_DISCLAIMER_: I do not own any of the characters. Nightwing and all of his friends belongs to DC comics. I'd be a happy woman if Dick belonged to me...but no such luck. I have not made any profit out of writing this, so please don't sue me. It would not be worth your while. **

**_Author Comment_:  
# HUGE THANK YOU TO EM. Em has walked every step of this story with. Thank you for your time and for the the fun.  
# I have no medical knowledge so there a bound to be inaccuracies in this story. I invite you to enjoy it for what it is... and rumble about a couple of drop dead gorgeous guys. (G)  
# I don't know a great deal about the JLA and while they don't play a major role, they do feature. Forgive me if I have got anything wrong.**

**_Special Thanks_: Thank you to all those people who have left such wonderful feedback on my previous stories. **

* * *

**Another Halloween Night**

**ACT TWO**

Darkness had descended on Bludhaven some fifteen minutes before. The colourful hues of sunset had faded to be replaced by a deep grey. Clouds of pollution masked the moon's light, producing shimmering shadows.

On the silent street below, the creatures of the night had started to stir and crawl from their places of concealment.

Nightwing surveyed his city from atop a building. Things were quiet. They had been for the past week. Dick couldn't be sure if that was because he was making a difference of if this was simply the calm before the storm.

A whisper of a breeze ruffled his hair. It was out of place on the airless evening.

"Superman," Nightwing greeted, without turning around. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Clark stepped out of the shadows. "You're good."

"It pays to be in Bludhaven." Nightwing turned and his serious expression dissolved, replaced by a relaxed smile. He offered his hand and Clark took it warmly.

"It's been a while."

Dick nodded, noting the strained look that lingered behind the amiable greeting. "I take it this isn't a social call?"

"I'm afraid not. I need your help."

Dick's right eyebrow rose. "_My_ help?"

"I don't have time for long explanations. I went to Star Labs to find you. We received a briefing mentioning you'd been injured." The huge man ran his eyes up and down Dick's frame.

Grayson smirked, "So I take it Dr. Charles knows I signed myself out."

"Concussion, several broken ribs and internal bleeding in your abdomen as a result of an explosion last night. Sarah doesn't feel you are…"

"Sarah just likes to worry. By the way, should I be blushing?" he added, noting the tell tale pinching at the side of Superman's eyes that indicated he was employing his X-ray vision.

Superman studied the younger man in the limited light, critically assessing his physical condition both with and without the assistance of his enhanced senses. There was bruising evident on the right side of his face, but the hidden injuries were of greatest concern.

"Supes, I wouldn't have left if I wasn't fit enough to do my job."

"Mmmm," Superman murmured, suspiciously.

Dick's smile broadened. "Okay, you know me too well… and have more facts than I was hoping to let on. I'm sore, but otherwise, fighting fit. How can I help?"

Superman had no choice but to accept Nightwing's assurances, despite what he'd just seen. He desperately needed the young hero's help. "Four hours ago, this message was recorded by our screening equipment and then wiped from the database by person unknown. Someone went to a lot of trouble to ensure we didn't see it," he stated, handing a copy of the recovered message to Dick.

Grayson took out his miniature flashlight and read aloud from the crumpled piece of paper. "Mission almost accomplished. Final communication at 2:00." Nightwing handed the note back. "What mission?"

"We don't know."

"So, why come to me? Do you want someone outside the organisation to investigate the removal of the message?"

Clark paused for a moment. "Not exactly. And you don't need to be outside the JLA. You know that to you, there's always an open invitation."

Dick snorted. "Sorry, Superman. You guys are a bit too 'business like' for me. I'll stick with the Titans. You may have persuaded Wally, but I'm a lost cause. Besides, I'm not sure the big black Bat would be too happy about my membership."

Clark grimaced. He remembered a time when Bruce and Dick had been as close as the closest father and son. Sadly, such days were gone.

"So, why me?"

"I don't need you to investigate the message, the mission referred to or who wiped it. I'm hoping Batman will."

"Hoping?"

"I haven't been able to contact him yet. Time is a critical factor."

Nightwing nodded. "About eight hours until the so called final communication mentioned in the message."

"We don't know where the message was sent from, but we do believe the person who sent it is a member of the JLA who is under a type of mind control."

"Mind control? Who holds the reins?" Dick saw the momentary pause and rolled his eyes. "You can trust me, Supes. I'm somewhat experienced at keeping secrets."

"Sorry, Nightwing. This situation has me concerned."

Dick frowned. No, not concerned. This situation had him rattled and it took a lot to rattle the strongest man on Earth.

"We believe we have a Mantla spy on Earth." Superman waited for some sort of response.

"And who is he when he's at home?"

"Batman never told you?" Superman was genuinely surprised.

Nightwing held the other man's gaze and in a deadpan voice responded, "Batman and I don't talk a great deal these days."

"The Mantla are an alien civilization looking for new feeding grounds."

"_Feeding_ grounds. I take it that we taste finger-lickin' good."

Clark nodded. "We stopped one of their spies about two years ago. I wanted to inform the Titans and other groups but Batman said that would only cause panic. I had assumed he'd at least told you."

"Well, as they say, to assume is to make an ass of u and me."

"Sorry."

"Not as much as I am," Dick murmured. His relationship with Batman was raw and certainly not a topic he ever discussed with others. It stung that his former partner and mentor clearly hadn't 'trusted' him with the information. "Go on."

"There's evidence to support that the message was sent to the Mantla home planet."

"Hence your conclusion that there's a Mantla spy. And it has the ability to control people's minds?"

"Mantla are able to use our bodies as a host."

Dick's face twisted with distaste. There was something altogether demeaning about losing your will. He'd experienced it more than once.

"The Mantla are slug like creatures. Despite their primitive physical appearance, they are an advanced life form from a sophisticated civilization. They enter the host through the mouth, nose or ear and then attach themselves to the host's brain, interrupting all electrical messages that control independent thought -- enabling them to actually 'run' the body like a machine."

"And you think one of the JLA has been taken over by one of these things?"

Superman nodded, and his lips pressed together.

Dick's eyes grew wide. "Batman? No. He's had training in that sort of thing. He'd be aware."

"He's been acting out of character."

Dick's face shadowed with immediate concern. "In what way?"

Superman struggled. "Very sullen. Emotionless."

Nightwing's left eyebrow rose and the concern gave way to amusement. "Your point?"

Superman frowned. He didn't have time for Dick's flippancy.

"Come on. You've known him even longer than me, Supes. You can't tell me you think sullen and emotionless is out of character for Batman these days?"

"Perhaps not," Superman conceded.

"Talk to me," Nightwing invited. Superman wasn't telling him everything and yet, Dick could tell he wanted to.

The Krytonian sighed. "I don't really want to involve you, Nightwing, but I don't see any other way. When the Mantla infiltrates the body, it shuts down independent thought, but in doing so, it severely inhibits emotional responses. Hence, lack of discernible emotion is the best indicator that the person has been infiltrated. No smiling to speak of. Little reaction to any situation. The problem I have is…"

"Batman never smiles and rarely reacts to anything, so it's impossible to tell if he's been 'infiltrated.'"

"Exactly. I have to know if I can trust him. The JLA haven't had any major missions in the last few days. Everybody is busy in their home areas. If I call them in…"

"You risk warning the 'slug' that you're on to it."

"Yes. I've told Wonder Woman and Green Arrow because I know they weren't at the crash site."

"Crash site? You're leaving things out," Dick pointed out. He needed all of the information as quickly as possible if he was to help.

"Sorry," Superman apologized. This wasn't usually his role. Batman always handled the details. "Three days ago a meteorite crashed to earth. We checked it out as we always do. I'm now certain that was how the Mantla got here. Everyone was present except Diana and Ollie, which means..."

"Which means they're the only members of the JLA you can trust."

"But they aren't detectives. Batman is, but it's more than that. Following our last encounter with a Mantla, he created a database on the creature. I can't find any reference to it in our files, nor can I locate any of the physical samples in our lab. I don't know if the Mantla has removed them or if Batman took them for analysis. Batman, and Batman alone, may hold the key to stopping them. But first I have to eliminate the possibility he's the host."

Superman drew in another deeper breath and then turned from Dick and walked to the edge of the building, looking out over the city. "I recovered the message purely by accident, but I can't trace the source, nor who removed it from our records. So you see, that's another reason I need Batman's help. I tried to get an emotional response from him, but… well, you know what he's like. I don't know if he's just being himself or…"

Dick nodded. Small creases had appeared around his eyes, visible from the sides of his mask. "But why come to me? Bruce and I haven't exactly been close the last few years. Our relationship gives 'emotionless' a whole new dimension."

"I thought things had improved."

"Only if you consider going from silence to grunts improvement."

Clark shook his head and faced Nightwing. "He was so different… when you were young."

"Weren't we all?" Grayson's voice echoed regrets. The days when he'd worn the red, green and yellow had been among the best in his life. Then, he'd seen much of it as a game. Good against evil, and good always won. He'd since learned that that wasn't always the case and that Batman couldn't fix everything… another innocent fallacy he had once believed. Batman was only human -- just barely human, Dick thought with some dark amusement. "It doesn't sound like we have time to trip down memory lane. Tell me exactly what you need me to do."

"You know him better than anyone. I have to be sure before I share this information with him. You may be able to draw some sort of emotion from him. A smile. Laugh."

"Laugh? Hell, Bruce hasn't laughed at any of my jokes for years." The sarcasm belied his growing anxiety.

"Something isn't right with him at the moment. I'm not sure if that's because he's already two steps ahead of me or because he's the one who's been infiltrated. It will be a massacre if the Mantla invade us."

"Massacre?" Nightwing frowned.

"We won't be able to stop it, if it starts. They'll come in their thousands. We could barely stop one. Batman's had experience with these creatures before. He made a study of the last one. If anyone can discover what the mission is, work out a way to stop or reverse it, identify which of the others is the host, and devise a way to defeat the Mantla spy before it can send an invitation to its 'friends', it's Batman. I considered going and checking each of the other members of the JLA first. It would certainly be easier to tell if they react emotionally to anything, but the Mantla are incredibly intelligent. If I start asking questions or trying to get an emotional response from its host…"

"You'll give away the fact that you're on to it. The only advantage you have at the moment is that you know the Mantla is here."

Superman smiled, despite the gravity of the situation. "You're so like him."

"Huh?"

"You never let a man finish." Like Bruce, Dick was always several steps ahead of everyone else. Superman gripped Nightwing's shoulders in each hand. "I need your help."

"I can have the Titans assembled within half an hour."

"No. I'm not asking you to fight this battle, nor investigate what's going on. This is internal matter for the JLA. If it gets out of hand, then I'll call for the help of the Titans and everyone else we can lay our hands on. For now, containment is the key. All I'm asking you to do is to help me clear Batman of being the host as quickly as possible so he and I can do what's needed. We've seen a Mantla in action. Batman has all of the information and the ability to put it together to our advantage. We can't start from scratch. We don't have time."

Dick grimaced. "I'll do what I can, but first, I need some background information so I know what I may be dealing with. Tell me about the Mantla."

"They have the ability to reduce their size so that they can enter a host," Superman explained, dropping his hands.

"Go on."

Superman began to pace as he tried to remember everything he could. "Once they leave the host's body, they grow… rapidly. The one we faced last time grew to twelve feet in a split second."

"Big slug. What else?" Nightwing demanded, his brow furrowing with concentration.

"They can reduce their size just as quickly and jump from host to host. They have three primary defences. The first is acid that they eject from glands on their body. Acid that will burn a hole right though you."

"Something to look forward to. And the second?"

Superman stopped and faced Nightwing. "Rows of teeth that make a great white shark look gummy. Finally, they have a set of electrified… for want of a better word… tentacles around the lips. They use them to capture and drag things into their mouth."

Nightwing turned his back on Superman and walked a few paces away, processing all of the information. "And how do you know there's only one?"

"I checked the meteorite. There was one empty chrysalis embedded in it. We missed it the first time, but then, we weren't looking for it." For several moments there was silence, Clark staring at the younger man's back.

"How do they reproduce?"

"I have no idea. It's not here to populate, Nightwing. It's here to secure information and/or prepare the way for the invasion. The Mantla won't come unless they know they can defeat us easily. As I said, despite the way they look, they come from a highly advanced civilization. We aren't essential to their survival so they aren't going to take risks. By defeating the last 'spy' we proved we were a powerful opponent. For some reason, they've decided to have another look."

"By the sound of it, this scout was randomly sent out to land wherever space took it," Dick murmured.

"You could be right." Superman waited impatiently.

"What mission? You must have some suspicions?" Dick asked.

"I'm assuming it's to collect information on the strongest opposition on Earth and…"

"And that would be the JLA. So what's it after? Personnel files? Or it is preparing to attack the JLA?"

"I don't know. I'm praying Batman is already ahead of us."

Still Nightwing didn't turn around, but continued to fire questions in quick succession. "How do they communicate with their homeland?"

"We aren't certain, but we believe that it is using a sort of internal sonar."

"Which means it will head to a high area to send... somewhere above other radio signals."

"That's what Batman thought last time."

"Can you jam the signal?"

"Only if we know exactly where it's emanating from."

"And the intercepted message?"

"Was sonar. New equipment at headquarters allows us to monitor all messages leaving Earth. Batman usually checks the computers, but he was called back to Gotham. Someone deleted the section of the data disk that contained that message."

"Did Batman return to Gotham before or after the message was recorded?"

"After."

"Physiologically, what is the slug's make up?"

Superman smirked. Like father like son. They were the same answers Batman had wanted two years earlier. "Their cell structure is completely different from any living creature on this planet. Bullets and the like don't penetrate their 'skin'. When they feed on us, they don't appear to need the 'nutrients'. Batman described us as 'an unessential part of their diet'. More like chocolate."

"So, what _do_ they need to survive? Air? Water?"

"Neither. We narrowed it down to electrical impulses which they draw directly from the atmosphere."

"How did you stop the last one?"

Superman looked away from Dick's back and his voice lowered. "We had to destroy it while it was inside a host."

Dick's jaw tightened. "And the host?"

Clark blew out a breath with force. "We had no choice."

Nightwing cursed. "And you think one of these things is inside a member of the JLA?"

"Yes. Evidence points to Batman but…."

Dick shook his head in disagreement. "Unlikely."

"Perhaps, but not impossible. I need to know for sure. I'm willing to admit that I'm out of my league on this one. We need Batman."

Dick turned back to Clark. "And lack of emotional response is the only way to tell if someone has been infiltrated? What about X-ray? Heat sensor?"

"Useless. They don't show up."

"If they feed on electrical impulses surely…"

"We couldn't find anything last time. Believe me, we looked."

"To identify who it is, we could isolate each person and use Wonder Woman's truth lasso?"

"It has no human emotion…"

"Hence truth isn't a factor. Damn," Dick cursed. "Couldn't Green Lantern…"

"Didn't work."

"Does the host have any independent will?"

"None that we could find. The Mantla uses the host's brain like a computer. It can access all data. The host has no memory of what they did while under the control of the Mantla."

"And damage to the host once the slug leaves its body?" There was the slightest rise in the pitch, betraying Nightwing's concern.

Superman reached for the younger man's shoulder again and squeezed it. Unlike Batman, Nightwing couldn't turn off his emotions. "One hell of a headache. Arthur and Diana experienced it last time and both were fine within an hour."

Dick ran his hand through his hair. "An emotional response from Batman? That's as rare as hen's teeth, you know that?"

"Yes. That's why I've come to you. I need this done quickly. I just thought that maybe you could make him smile… or something."

"Smile, no. Lose his temper, yes. Would that help?"

Superman smirked. "It's an emotional response. Yes, it would tell us what we need to know. Will you be able to?

Dick forced a grin. "I've been making Bruce lose his temper for years. I can be very annoying when I want to be. Besides, I know how to push all of his buttons... the legacy of a great partnership." It was said with some sadness.

"You'll need to be subtle. If he's been infiltrated, and the slug cottons on to what you're doing, it'll attack, either by leaving Batman's body or using it. If the latter's the case, remember, Batman won't be in control. It isn't Batman. The slug will do anything to protect its existence."

"Subtle. Got it." They held each other's gaze.

"Be careful, kid."

Dick shook his head slowly. "First of all, _that's_ the reason I won't work with the JLA. I don't still wear diapers. Second, the chances that Batman's been taken over by some slug are pretty close to nil. And third, if he has… no matter how much control they have of him, he'd never hurt me… not physically anyway." The last phrase was whispered.

Superman's expression became more intense. "Nightwing don't count on that. If you suspect that he's not responding, get out of there as quickly as possible. I've seen what these creatures are capable of and how powerful their hold on someone can be. Leave and report back to me. We got bloody last time we dealt with them. I don't want you to get hurt. Remember, the Mantla can jump from host to host. Don't, under any circumstances, stand any closer to Batman than six feet. Contact me immediately if you suspect anything."

Dick's eyes narrowed.

Superman could see he was considering the warning.

Finally, Nightwing's head bobbed once. "Do you know where he is?"

"The cave."

"Then I could use a lift."

Superman exhaled with relief, walked over and lifted Nightwing into his arms effortlessly. "I'll wait just outside in case you need me."

"No. He can't know that you've spoken to me. You'll have to drop me in the centre of Gotham. I'm make my own way there."

"Nightwing, you need to be really careful... and really quick. We have only hours."

"I understand."

VV

Continued in Act 3

Please leave your email address if you leave a review so I can take the opportunity to thank you.

* * *

I would really love to know what you thought.

**© Feb 2006 Aussie Nightwriter. : This relates only to the creative property in this story. The distinctive way the story unfolds, the specific dialogue and unique situations are mine. I acknowledge that some of the characters and settings belong to DC comics. (g) No infrigement of copyright was intended and no profit has been made from this story... so, please don't sue me. It wouldn't be worth your while.**


	3. Chapter 3

ANOTHER HALLOWEEN NIGHT  
by AUSSIE NIGHTWRITER

**_DISCLAIMER_: I do not own any of the characters. Nightwing and all of his friends belongs to DC comics. I'd be a happy woman if Dick belonged to me...but no such luck. I have not made any profit out of writing this, so please don't sue me. It would not be worth your while. **

**_Author Comment_:  
# HUGE THANK YOU TO EM. Em has walked every step of this story with. Thank you for your time and for the the fun.  
# I have no medical knowledge so there a bound to be inaccuracies in this story. I invite you to enjoy it for what it is... and rumble about a couple of drop dead gorgeous guys. (G)  
# I don't know a great deal about the JLA and while they don't play a major role, they do feature. Forgive me if I have got anything wrong.  
# I had some difficutly with the fanfiction reply message service so if you received an empty message from me or just the word 'hi' with you own message attached, please let me know and I'll resend my thanks. **

**_Special Thanks_: Thank you to all those people who have left such wonderful feedback on my previous stories. **

* * *

**Another Halloween Night**

**ACT THREE**

Nightwing entered the cave from the outside entrance and made his way down the long, dark tunnel that led to the inner sanctum. His mind was turning over all of the information Superman had given him. While logic told him it was more than possible for Batman to be infiltrated just like anyone else, something deep down within him refused to believe it. Perhaps it was the little boy who dwelled within him who still believed that Batman could do anything... certainly fight off some slug.

Logic returned. If Batman was on to something and he wasn't sure who to trust in the JLA, he'd have come here to work alone -- so that fit. Dick had a five step plan. He prayed he wouldn't need to employ steps four or five.

Above, bats flapped, disturbed by Nightwing's presence. Another, much larger Bat, was about to be.

Nightwing exited the passageway and entered the huge cavern he had christened the 'Batcave' so many years before. He paused and looked across to the computer platform above the rest of the cave and there, with his back to him, was Batman. Nightwing knew his presence wasn't any secret. The sensors would have warned Batman to the 'intruder.'

As there was no greeting, Nightwing strode silently toward his former mentor, climbed the stairs, but stopped the instructed six feet away. The words, 'honey, I'm home' flashed in his mind. "Batman."

No response. Of course, that wasn't out of the ordinary.

"Batman," Nightwing repeated with more volume.

A grunt.

"We need to talk."

Another grunt.

"Nice weather we're having. Wasn't it great that the Bludhaven Cowboys smashed Gotham last night? Okay, so much for the small talk. As you seem to be busy, I'll get straight to the point. I can't keep dropping everything in Bludhaven each time you think you need me here in Gotham to handle mundane tasks that the police force are more than capable of dealing with."

Nothing.

"Would you turn around so we can discuss this?"

Slowly, the chair swivelled until Batman's eyes pierced through Dick. He'd always had the ability to do that. In a stoney voice, devoid of emotion, the Dark Knight stated, "I don't have time for this."

"Tough bickies. I've decided I need to review my focus and Gotham no longer figures in my calculations. I have my own city these days, not to mention other responsibilities… which we'll discuss in a minute. To tell you the truth, I'm sick and tired having to run back here at the drop of a hat just because you can't handle your own city. I'm not your junior partner any more and it's about time I stopped acting like it or taking your crap."

Nothing. Nightwing moved to phase two.

"While I've got your attention, I may as well fill you in on everything. I'm leaving the Titans. Like you, they're a part of my junior years."

A grunt, but no discernable emotion.

"I'm going take up an offer from Superman to join the JLA. They need a detective. Unfortunately, because you run back to Gotham at the drop of a hat, you're hardly ever around these days. I'm moving forward, Batman. I'm seeing things much clearer, thanks to Roy. He's right. You've never wanted me to be a part of the JLA because then you'd have to acknowledge me as an equal. That starts today!"

Dick waited. Bruce had never wanted him to be a member. Dick didn't understand why. They'd actually had several heated arguments over it in the past.

"Fine." The word echoed in the cavern and then Batman spun around and returned to what he was doing.

That was it? The acid in Dick's stomach began to burn. There should have been more of a reaction than that. Was Superman right? It wasn't possible, was it?

Phase three. "I'm also getting married."

Nothing.

"To Roy. I'm gay. I'm sick of hiding the truth from you and from the world."

A grunt.

Dick cursed inwardly. He'd hoped that something so off the wall would have jolted at least a dismissive reaction. The, 'I know you better than you know yourself, Dick', types of superior responses. But there had been nothing. No a thing. And yet…was Batman just... Whatever the reason, it was time to bite the bullet. Time was of the essence. Dick had to trust his instincts… prove what he felt to be true.

"Clark thinks that your mind has been taken over by some slug trying to infiltrate the JLA. Me, I think it must have happened years ago. Of course, you didn't trust me enough to let me know about the Mantla last time. I had a right to know. I was the leader of the Titans if nothing else. The JLA and Titans are supposed to have an open policy on sharing information."

In the reflection of the computer screen, Nightwing saw Batman's expression tighten. Could he consider that a reaction?

"Well, Batman? Is there a slug in your head?"

"You live in a fantasy world, Nightwing."

"This coming from a man who thinks it's Halloween every night."

"This has nothing to do with you. Leave it."

Grayson's chest tightened. "Well, that's certainly in character. Nothing to do with _you_ is ever anything to do with _me_ these days, is it?" His emotions were threatening to distract him. Perhaps he should allow them to? After all, every conversation in the last two years had ended up with he and Batman at each other's throats. None of those had needed careful planning to evoke an emotional response.

"You need to leave," Batman instructed.

"That's your answer to everything, isn't it? Just push 'the problem' aside or steamroll over it. What the hell happened to you, Bruce? There was a time when I believed that… that you gave a damn about me." His tone had dropped to little more than a whisper. "Was it always this way? Are my childhood memories just delusions?"

Nothing.

Dick stopped, realizing he was allowing the situation to get to him and so he counteracted. "I'm okay, by the way. I'm sure Oracle told you about the explosion last night. I appreciated your hospital visit and the flowers were lovely," he finished sarcastically.

Still nothing. Not a damn thing!

"YOU'RE A REAL PIECE OF WORK, YOU KNOW THAT, BRUCE!" Dick clutched at his side, the effort of shouting causing the injured muscles to pinch. "Go to hell, Batman," he spun quickly, his hand sliding down to his tender abdomen. "Superman's on his own," the young man grumbled. "Call me if you want to talk about any of the changes in my life. Not that anything in my life…" His breath caught in his throat and he held it waiting for the pain to subside. "...is of any…" He released the air in his lungs with control and his voice became breathy "…interest to you." Dick grimaced. "It ends here. I'm not going to bother…" as he arrived at the tunnel, he reached out for the wall to steady himself. "… not going to bother any more."

Nightwing sensed Batman's approach. Superman's warning echoed in his mind, yet he felt no fear. The flutters of doubt didn't change the fact that Dick was still certain. Besides, he had to get close to know.

"Calm down. Were you released from hospital or did you release yourself?" No emotion. It was an order followed by a simple request for information.

"None of your damn business." And then Nightwing spun violently, yelling, "YOU DON'T EVER..." Dick's body folded in and he gulped, his body shuddering.

Batman grabbed him and without a word, guided the panting man back to a chair. Nightwing was still doubled over as Batman removed a glove. The Dark Knight placed a hand on the younger man's brow and scrutinized the bruising at the side of his face. Then, he eased Dick upright. Grayson's gaze lifted to meet two eyes of blue staring down at him… concern radiating from them. Real emotion. The tension left Dick's body as he thought happily, 'Gotcha.'

Batman pulled his cowl back. "You must be bleeding internally again." Bruce paused and his eyes grew wide. "You were testing me?"

Dick sat up. The initial pinching had been real, but it had jolted his mind back to the task and given him the opportunity to implement phase five. Perhaps he couldn't annoy, shock or anger Batman enough to make him lose his temper, but Dick knew one sure fire way to make Bruce react. It had been a low blow by anyone's standards, which was why he'd decided to use it only if nothing else worked. "I had to know. Sorry."

Bruce's eyes blazed and then he yanked his cowl down into place. "You know where the door is, Nightwing, use it." He spun on his heels, his cape flying out behind him as he started back up the stairs to the computer platform.

"So, why the act? Why act as though you're a puppet of the Mantla?" Grayson paused. "Even in front of me?"

Silence.

"Damn it, Batman. Why don't you trust me any more?"

"While everyone focuses their investigations on me, the Mantla will believe it is safe and continue to carry out its mission. It is the only chance we have of catching it."

Dick rose and followed. "And if Superman decided to follow the same course of action as you did last time? Kill the slug while it was still inside the host? I was told that the last host didn't survive." Grayson rounded on Batman so they were face to face. "They could have killed you."

"It was a chance I had to take."

Dick was startled by the trepidation he could so clearly read in Batman's usually expressionless face and his thoughts returned to Superman's referral to a massacre. "The Mantla are that bad?"

For several seconds, Batman didn't speak. When he did, his voice was low, hushed and actually trembled ever so slightly. "If they were to invade, I would personally take the lives of all those I care about."

Dick felt the hair rise on the back of his neck. "Bruce?"

"They don't just kill, Nightwing, they… Death is long and painfully cruel. They enter the body and feed from the inside out. First the eyes and then… the victim is aware throughout. Mantla secrete a hormone to stop massive bleeding. They like their kill fresh. I estimate that death takes approximately seventy-two hours. The victim feels everything but the Mantla prevent movement – paralysis with pain. The victim can't even take his own life. I've never seen anything like it."

Nightwing swallowed. It was all starting to make sense. This was why Bruce had refused to tell the Titans and others. Such knowledge would certainly have caused panic if it had got out.

"So, have you eliminated anyone?"

"Only Superman."

"He's waiting for me. What do you want me to tell him?"

"Nothing."

Dick raised an eyebrow.

"I need time." Batman flicked his attention to one of the computer screens which was counting down. He had seven hours and thirty-six minutes to go. "He will only distract me and I can't afford to be distracted at the moment."

"Okay. So you want me to avoid Superman for a couple of hours? Not going to be easy."

"How busy are you at the moment?"

Nightwing's eyebrows drew down, curiously. Was Batman asking for help? "Nothing pressing. Something I can help with?"

"No. You can hide from Superman here."

Dick rolled his eyes. "Clark knows where the cave is. If I don't contact him, he'll come looking. He's pretty rattled and suspects you… which is your plan," Nightwing acknowledged. Right now he had to trust Batman… not that that had ever been an issue. "Superman won't leave it. He was afraid for my safety."

"Yet.. he.. sent.. you." Each and every syllable rolled around in the back of Batman's constricted throat and resonated with anger. His blazing eyes met Nightwing's and a blinding flash of realization smashed Dick. His mind whirred at the speed of light. That wasn't anger… it was… Dick blinked. He'd seen it before on Roy's face - paternal rage. Nightwing was floored. Why hadn't he seen it before? If he was a member of the JLA, Batman would be forced to accept him as an equal and the older man's ability to shelter Dick would be gone forever.

Dick opened his mouth to speak, but the abrupt comprehension had winded him. All these years, Batman's opposition to his membership in the JLA was a result of his paternal instincts – the security of knowing that when the worst of the worst happened, he was in a position to give Dick orders… orders that ultimately enabled him to protect his child as he saw fit. Superman had violated that.

"Did he warn you of the dangers?" An emotionless snarl.

Clark was in the deepest of deep shit. "Of course."

"But you came."

"No damn slug would be able to take over your head, Batman." Batman and Nightwing stared at each other for a long time.

"It could." The words were said gently… more gently than Batman had spoken to Nightwing in years. Batman's eyes flashed a silent moment of affection, but it disappeared so quickly that Nightwing questioned if he'd imagined it. No, it had been there. The tone of the next phrase was harsh. "You tested me."

"I had to be sure," Nightwing growled. He needed to climb above the emotion and set aside his own feelings for the sake of the mission... just as Batman had taught him. "You didn't train a fool."

Batman's voice dropped. "You knew exactly how to force me to react."

"You may be an emotionless bastard, Bruce, but whether you like it or not, you care. So, what can I do to help?"

"I don't need your help." The words were ground out as Batman shouldered past the younger man and moved back to his chair.

"No, what you mean is, you don't _want_ my help. There's a difference. We were partners once. The best. I can help you, if you let me."

Batman glared at Nightwing.

"It must have just about killed you holding your temper before."

Batman snorted and returned to staring at the screens in front of him.

"Fine, then I'll just hang around here under foot, order pizza, tell jokes and generally be annoying. So, have you heard the one about the Irish man who turned his back on his partner when he needed him most?"

For several seconds Batman didn't react and then Nightwing heard a sigh of defeat from the older man. "You're joining the JLA and you and Roy are getting married. You thought I'd believe that?" he asked, glancing sideways.

Dick grinned. "Yeah, well, it was worth a try. I wanted something you'd question and something you'd reject immediately. I thought that swinging from one to the other may… Five step plan. Criticize, annoy, shock, strike and appeal."

Batman nodded, his eyes still reflecting the slightest trace of concern.

"For what it's worth, I enjoy the trips back to the Gotham. The JLA don't laugh at my jokes… the Titans do." Batman's face actually relaxed and Dick smiled. He'd been right. Again, the realization shook him to his core. "But, hey, I do like red heads," he finished, bouncing his eyebrows.

"She's looking for you."

Dick grimaced. "Sarah called Oracle? Man, I'm dead. I told Babs I'd wait to be released. Maybe you could lie and tell her you released me?"

Batman inclined his head to a microscope. "That's a piece of the slug's skin. I haven't had time to properly analyse it. I should have a year ago but…"

"Don't. If you'd physically had time you would have," Nightwing whispered.

Batman gazed at him and the side of his mouth rose slightly. Dick's loyalty was complete. Batman no longer had the right to expect it and while he understood that Nightwing's beginning tirade had been an act, he realized that 'dropping everything' was exactly what Nightwing did every time. "See if you can find something… anything that could point to a way to defeat the creature. We found it impervious to our earlier efforts. It doesn't require air, or water. Can't be contained by Green Lantern. While a living being, it doesn't appear to feel pain. The only thing identified was a reaction to sound."

Nightwing focused the instrument and examined the cell structure. "Wow."

"Exactly," Batman growled, returning to the computer screen in front of him.

"It reminds me of something," Dick murmured.

Batman grunted. "I've never seen anything like it." He'd only looked at it for a couple of seconds, but then, usually that was long enough.

"I have. Not the same but…I just… I can't remember."

Nightwing readjusted the focus. His mind zapped through all his stored memories. "Hang on. Of course. Elastic Man."

Batman's head snapped toward him. "What?"

"It's similar to Elastic Man's cell structure. I mean it _is_ different, from what I can remember. Each of the slug's cells are thicker and the hexagonal shape provides greater strength, but the structure itself has similar components."

Batman rose slowly to his feet. "How do you…?"

"Don't you remember?" Dick asked, straightening. "When you were training me to identify substances, you threw in a slide with Elastic Man's cells on it. Living rubber. I couldn't identify it. You refused to tell me and it took me weeks and weeks to narrow it down. In the end you had to tell me what it was."

Batman continued to stare at Nightwing and then crossed and checked the slide himself. "It's different, but… you're right there are enough similarities. However, it is much stronger. Living rubber," he muttered, using Dick's phrase. "That's why the bullets didn't penetrate it. They literally bounced off. So, we try to stretch it until it reaches its critical length?

Nightwing's face lit with an idea. "What happens when you freeze rubber?"

"It becomes brittle," Batman agreed, following Nightwing's line of thinking. "Super freeze it and…"

"Theoretically, it'll shatter. Bingo. Do we still have Mr Freeze's big cannon?"

"In the vault."

"But will it be strong enough?" Nightwing asked.

"We hook it into the nuclear reactor that powers the Batmobile and we could freeze the United States. Test it. There are further samples of the slug's cells in the drawer." Batman strode back to his computer.

Moments later Nightwing walked up and stood beside him.

"Well?"

"Shattered like glass."

A rush of breath showed Batman's relief. "Risk factor to those facing the Mantla has just dropped from about 95 to 10. Well done."

"But we're only half-way. We have a way to defeat it if we can find it and coax it out of its host. What else can I do?"

Batman paused and turned to his partner. Dick had been right. They worked off each other, sparking ideas and complementing one another perfectly. "I found a file hidden on the JLA computers... created only a day ago. It contained over one thousand map co-ordinates. Nothing special about any except they are evenly spread all over the globe. Yesterday, twenty-four drums of Vixan 24 disappeared from Lex Corp."

"Lex Luthor's involved?"

"No, I don't believe so. However, he is the only one who still makes Vixan 24, which…"

"Is a paralysis gas." Dick's eyes grew with understanding. "Keeps the body alive but prevents movement."

"Just the way Mantla like it. The file also contained one other thing. A time. 1:55."

"Five minutes before the impending communication. It's going to set the gas free at 1:55 from 1000 different spots across the globe," Dick muttered. "Paralyse the world's population ready for its peers to come and feast."

"That's my guess."

"So shouldn't we contact Superman and get him to go to each of the co-ordinates and…"

"And we tip off the Mantla immediately. Vixan 24 is so potent that ten drums would do the job. The Mantla is intelligent. It would know that."

"It has a back up plan," Nighwing breathed.

"We have to trap and destroy it before it can carry out its mission."

"And to do that, we need to know who it's in."

"Yes. There's a file open on that computer. Read it and see if you can find anything out of place. I've read it a dozen times and don't see anything. Maybe fresh eyes are what's needed."

"Sure, what is it?" Nighwing asked, slipping into 'his' chair. When he'd been young, he'd always sat here.

"It's my report on the day we encountered the meteorite -- the time I think one of us were compromised. There's got to be something there that will point to who."

"You got it. What are you doing?"

"I'm using a satellite to watch all members of the JLA apart from Superman. I cleared him hours ago."

"You aren't going to be popular," Dick murmured. Batman made no response.

For ten minutes there was silence. Finally Dick sat back and shook his head. "Nothing. Will the host be acting out of character at the moment?"

"Not necessarily… but it's all we've got." Batman glanced up at the clock and his jaw clenched.

Nightwing rose and strode across the stand next to his partner. "I'll take The Flash and Green Lantern," Dick offered, referring to the monitors showing the heroes going about their lives. Wally was at home, making himself something to eat. Kyle was on a date. "This is one hell of a satellite."

"New technology I've developed with the capacity to look directly through walls and to maintain focus on the subject selected."

"How?" Dick asked, resting back on the armrest of Batman's chair.

"DNA lock."

Dick glanced down at Batman. "DNA. Hell. Have you been watching me?"

"Concentrate," Batman growled.

For several moments the two men did just that.

"At what time will you call the others in?"

"If we don't identify the spy? Forty minutes from the communication deadline."

"And we'll…?" Dick asked.

"To save the planet, we will have to destroy all those we still suspect to be hosts. By then, I hope we've identified who it is."

Dick nodded. He'd feared that would be the back-up plan. Unfortunately, he saw no other way himself.

"And if none of them contain the Mantla?"

There was a long pause before Batman replied. "We wait. At the first sign of invasion, we kill every living being on this planet as painlessly as possible."

Nightwing tore his gaze from the computer monitors. "What? You're not serious! We can't! Surely..." It was inconceivable.

The older man looked up at Nightwing and his Adam's apple jumped. Dick saw something he'd never seen before… and he didn't like it. Batman looked vulnerable.

Instinctively, Dick placed his hand on Bruce's shoulder. Even through the kevlar suit, he felt Bruce's muscles twist.

"With Superman's help, we flood the Earth with carbon monoxide. Everyone simply goes to sleep… permanently." Batman paused and his face shadowed with doubt. "Do I have the right to be making these decisions?" he whispered.

Dick swallowed. "If half of what you've told me about the Mantla is true, a painless death is all any of us could hope for by that stage, but… we fight until the last possible moment."

Nightwing watched the weakness pass and Batman inclined his back to the monitors. "Keep watching. We have to identify who it is."

"What if I call the Titans together and we track down the Vixan 24."

"Would you keep it all in one spot?"

"No," Dick admitted.

"The Mantla won't either. It will have it stashed it all over the globe until it needs to shift it to the coordinates its sectioned for the attack. Find and remove one and we've warned it."

"We know how to defeat it, so why not just call the JLA together and test each for an emotional response?"

"The Mantla won't come at this late stage. It'll go into hiding and then we won't be able to stop it. We have to find out who it's in and then take it by surprise."

"What the…?" Dick muttered.

"You have something?" Batman demanded.

"Is that a spider?" he asked pointing to the creature that Wally had just swept off the bench so nonchalantly.

Batman gave the voice command, "Enhance screen seven, bottom left sector."

The screen filled with an image of a spider scuttling across the floor. Dick started shaking his head. "Oh, no."

"What is it?"

Grayson shut his eyes. "The Mantla inhibit emotional responses… in effect eliminating phobias. Wally's arachnophobic. He can't even get close enough to spray spiders without climbing up the walls."

"The Flash." Batman stood abruptly, knocking Nightwing sideways. "It fits. He has the speed to set off the gas at all locations at almost the same time. That's why the Mantla chose him." The Dark Knight descended the stairs, picked up Mr. Freeze's huge laser cannon and then headed for the Batmobile.

"Hang on," Nightwing cried. "What are you going to do?"

"Destroy the Mantla."

"How?" When Batman didn't answer, Nightwing jogged down from the computer platform and blocked his path. "How? By superfreezing the slug while it's still in Wally? You'll kill him."

Batman said nothing, cradling the cannon across his chest.

"Let me call Star Labs and…"

"No. We can't involve others."

"The hell we can't! We're talking about Wally." Batman stepped around his partner. Nightwing grabbed his arm. "I won't let you risk his life without first investigating a way to save him."

"I didn't say I was going to."

Batman shrugged free of Nightwing's grip and placed the cannon in the car. "The Mantla respond to high powered sound waves. Last time we used them to make it leave Wonder Woman's body."

"Oh. And yet you…"

"We couldn't kill it when it was outside of the host," Batman finished, opening the driver's side door and getting in. "Our only option was to destroy it within a host."

"So who did you…"

"I have no intension of validating the decisions we made to save this planet." The door slammed closed.

"I wasn't asking you to. What's the risk to Wally?"

"At best, burst eardrums. At worst, I'll fail and he'll die with everyone else." Batman redirected his attention to his partner. The sting left his voice. "Risk factor of about 3 . He'll be alright," he assured.

"And the risk to you?"

"Reduced significantly now that I have a weapon to kill it. The most dangerous time will be when the Mantla exits The Flash. It'll grow as it falls and eject acid to protect itself. Avoiding that won't be easy while I fire the cannon."

"Which means you'll have to fire the sound blaster and then pick up the cannon… precious seconds in between."

"A risk factor of only about 10."

"And if there were two of us… one with the sound blaster and one ready with the freeze cannon? What's the risk factor then? Less than 1, I'd say."

Nightwing realized he had no intention of insisting. That single moment he had recognized that Bruce had been angry with Clark for putting him in danger was in the forefront of his mind. Bruce, not Batman, had been livid… and the small boy who still lived in Dick celebrated the fact that his father had wanted to protect him. After all, protecting his child was every father's prerogative -- a right Dick knew couldn't be easy to relinquish. Batman, for everything he was and wasn't, was no different.

Batman turned the key in the ignition. The engine sprang to life. He focused ahead of him. "I may not have found the answers needed without your help, Nightwing."

"We make a pretty good team, wouldn't you say?"

Batman's chin dipped. Twenty-three minutes. With Nightwing's help, it had taken only twenty-three minutes. Without his help… Batman didn't want to think.

"Good luck, and be careful, Bruce," Dick whispered.

"Aren't you coming _trick or treating_ with me?"

Nightwing didn't need a second invitation. He flipped twice, sprang into the air and landed in the seat beside Batman.

The older man shook his head with happy disgust. Dick hadn't changed since he was eight.

With the two of them working together the risk dropped to less than 1. Together, they were that good and the Dark Knight was willing to admit, he needed his partner's help to ensure the job was done.

"Just another Halloween night," Batman murmured.

The End.

But what if Batman **_had_** been 'infiltrated?'

Stay turned for Version two of Act 3.

Please leave your email address if you leave a review so I can take the opportunity to thank you.

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I would really love to know what you thought.

**© Feb 2006 Aussie Nightwriter. : This relates only to the creative property in this story. The distinctive way the story unfolds, the specific dialogue and unique situations are mine. I acknowledge that some of the characters and settings belong to DC comics. (g) No infrigement of copyright was intended and no profit has been made from this story... so, please don't sue me. It wouldn't be worth your while.**


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